This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of plum, Prunus salicina cv. ‘Suplumfortyfour’. The new variety was first hybridized in March 1999 by David W. Cain and selected in June 2002 by Terry Bacon as breeder number: ‘PL151YY’. The new variety was first evaluated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Calif. in Kern County. The variety ‘Suplumfortytfour’ was originated by hybridization.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfour’ is characterized by large fruit with yellow skin.
The seed parent is ‘91P-045’ (unpatented), and the pollen parent is ‘92P-033’ (unpatented). The parent varieties were first crossed in March of 1999, with the date of sowing being January 2000, and the date of first flowering being March 2002. The new plum variety ‘Suplumfortyfour’ was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in January 2003, by budding.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfour’ is distinguished from its seed parent, ‘91P-045’ (unpatented), in that the new variety ripens about 7 days earlier than ‘91P-045’ and has yellow skin compared to red skin for ‘91P-045’.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfour’ is distinguished from its pollen parent, ‘92P-033’ (unpatented), in that the new variety ripens about 4 weeks earlier than ‘92P-033’ and has yellow skin compared to black skin for ‘92P-033’.
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfour’ has a similar ripening time as ‘Black Amber’ (unpatented), but has yellow skin compared to black skin for ‘Black Amber.’
The new variety ‘Suplumfortyfour’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, budding.